Risk communication and community engagement during COVID-19.

ABSTRACT

In today's information age, both excess and lack of information can cause a disaster. COVID-19 pandemic not only highlighted the significance of risk communication but also pointed out several unintended and distressing consequences due to information gaps and miscommunications. Despite facing a common threat, the local communities suffered differential impacts during the pandemic. This paper classifies the nature of risk communications experienced across different countries into three categories, namely inadequate, ideal, and infodemic risk communication that influenced the local perceptions and responses. It further argues that inadequately planned risk communications tend to create new risks and compromise the efforts towards managing a disaster. As global risks are responded locally, there is a need for more inclusive and engaging risk communication that involves communities as responsible stakeholders who understand, plan, and respond to risks to increase their propensity for resilience during disasters and crisis situations.